Suspension for vehicles



Nov. 3, 1936. I J. A. DORST 2,059,212

SUSPENS ION FOR VEHICLES Filed Jan. 11, 1936 ITLVETL'EDY' James AJllnrst Attorney Q Patented Nov. 3, 1936 v UNlTED' s'rA ss PATENT OFFICE susriuwsron roa vsmcms James A. Dorst, United States Army, San Francisco, Calif.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

5 This invention relates to a suspension for a vehicle. r

In converting a commercial automobile into avehicle which may utilize either wheel or belt traction it is necessary to supply auxiliary wheels 10 in order to more effectively distribute'the load and aid in retaining the track.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an auxiliary suspension unit for a commercial vehicle which is simple, inexpensive, readily applicable 15 to the chassis frame without modifying the frame, and which may be quickly and easily adjusted to operative and inoperative position.

with the foregoing and othenobjects in view, the invention resides in the novel arrangement 2 and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed 25 without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where- 30 Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a chassis frame showing the auxiliary suspension in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Fig. 3 is a view inside elevation of the chassis 35 frame, near wheel of the intermediate group being removed.

Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation showing one of the auxiliary suspension units in inoperative position.

40 Referring to the drawing by characters of reference:

The vehicle comprises a commercial automobile chassis, that shown being a Model 1935 Ford including a frame 5, a body 8, a front wheel axle 45 unit1 and a rear wheel axle unit 8.

The auxiliary. suspension comprises a transversely disposed bar 9 fixed to the frame intermediately of the front and rear axle units and extending on each side of the frame. A pair of 50 similar oppositely disposed arms lO-lii are each mounted on a pivot pin l l in the center portion of the bar 9 and are movable in the plane of the bar.

. The inner portion of each arm underlies the bar and is preferably bifurcated so that its inner 55 ends lZ-ll may engage opposite sides of the bar. A bifurcated offset 13 straddles the bar at the outer side of the frame 5 to position the outer spindle l4 above the end of the bar 9. The spindle ll extends beyond the bar and carries twin wheels l5. 5

An elastic cord or band It is wrapped about each end of the bar 9 and the corresponding spindle It and is confined between spaced collars ll-ll and l8-I8 respectively formed on these members. The cords are assembled under a ten- 10 sion that will preferably cause the front end of the vehicle to be raised about two inches. The loops of the cord are readily slipped on and off of the bar 9 by depressing the opposite side of the vehicle and thereby causing the end of the bar 9 toapproach the spindle.

- When the elastic cord is disconnected from the bar 9 the arm ill is moved to and held in inoperative position clear of the ground by means of a link is including a turnbuckle 20. The link is carried by the body through a spring 2i and is attached to a hook 22 on the arm.

I The-axle units I and I are supplied with-twin wheels respectively 23 and 24 for the purpose of carrying an endless track II on each side of the 25 vehicle. when the vehicle is being operated with the tracn in place the arms Ill-l0 are lowered into operative position, the front wheels are locked against turning in any convenient manner, and steering is accomplished by a divided brake s'ystom as heretofore proposed in them.

I claim:-

1. In a vehicle, a frame, axle units supporting the frame, a bar carried transversely of the frame and positioned between the axle units, a pair of oppositely disposed arms pivoted to the center portion of the bar, each arm having a bifurcated inner end disposed underneath the bar and a bifurcated ofiset straddling the bar outside of the frame, a spindle on the offset and overlying the 40 end of the bar, a wheel on the spindle, an elastic cord looped about the spindle and the bar, and under sufllcient tension to raise one end of the vehicle, and means for holding the arm in a raised position when the elastic cord between the spindle and bar is disconnected.

2. In a vehicle, a frame, axle units supporting the frame, a bar carried transversely of the frame and positioned between the axle units, a pair of oppositely disposed arms pivoted to the center portion of the bar, each arm having a bifurcated inner end disposed underneath the bar and a bifurcated offset straddling the bar outside of the frame, a spindle on the oflset and overlying the end of the bar, a wheel on the spindle, an ela ti cord looped about the spindle and the bar, and means for holding the arm in a raised position when the elastic cord between the spindle and bar is disconnected.

3. In a vehicle, a frame, axle units supporting the frame, a bar carried transversely of the frame, a. pair of oppositely disposed arms pivoted to the bar, each arm having a bifurcated inner end disposed underneath the bar and a bifurcated offset straddling the bar outside of the frame, a spindle on the oflset and overlying the end of the bar, a wheel on the spindle, an elastic cord looped about the spindle and the bar, and means for holding the arm in a raised position when the elastic cord between the spindle and bar is dis connected.

4. In a vehicle, a frame, a bar carried transversely of the frame, a pair of oppositely disposed 8 

